Cistern.



G. H. MAHN.

GISTERN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1913 1 ,085,21 7. Patnted Jan. 27;, 1914. 1

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- A TTOHNEY coumau PLAN c7 p which may lead to any desired place.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV HERMAN MAI-IN, 0F CLINTONVILLE, WISCONSIN.

CISTERN.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GUSTAV IIERMAN Marin, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clintonville, in the county of Vaupaca and State of \Nisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cisterns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cisterns used for storing rain-water from roofs of houses or other places, and its object is to provide a novel and improved device which auto matically cuts off the flow to the cistern when the same is full, and directs the flow to a waste pipe.

It is also the object of the invention to provide a cut-off device which is simple in construction and eflicient and reliable in operation, which can be readily installed and which will not prevent access to the cistern for the purpose of cleaning the same.

These objects are attained by means of a combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the cut-off device, a fragment of the cistern being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical section. Fig. 3 is a sect-ion on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, 5 denotes a cistern of ordinary construction, and 6 is a down pipe leading from the roof, and having branches 7 and 8 respectively. The branch 7 is arranged to discharge into the cistern, and the branch 8 is connected to a waste piipke t the junction of the pipes 6, 7 and 8 is a cut-off plate 9 which is carried by pivots 10, and so arranged that when tilted in one direction it closes the pipe 8 and leaves the pipe 7 open and in communication with the pipe 6, and when tilted in the opposite direction the pipe 7 is closed and the pipe 8 is placed in communication with the pipe 6.

To efiect the tilting movement of the cutoft plate 9 automatically, a float operated mechanism is provided which will now be described. To the under side of the top 11 of the cistern 5 are secured two spaced crossstrips 12 carrying two parallel and spaced boards 13 set vertically, to each of which latter are secured depending guide strips 14.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 4, 1913.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914-.

Serial No. 771,664.

These parts form a guide for the float and a support for a pulley to be presently described. Each board 13 carries two strips let which are spaced apart a suflicient distance to form a guideway, the strips of the respective boards being arranged so that the guideways are in alinement. Two floats are provided, the same being indicated at 15 and connected by cross bars 16. The floats are located on the outside of the respective pairs of strips 14, and the cross bars 16 pass loosely through theguideways formed by said strips and thus guide the floats. Between the boards 13 is located a grooved pulley 17 which is carried by a shaft 18 extending transversely between said boards and supported thereby. In the pipe 7 is mounted a guide pulley 19. To the top cross bar 16 is made fast a line 20 which passes upward over the pulley 17 and thence extends to the pulley l9, and after passing behind the same, is carried to the plate 9 and made fast to that end of the latter which works across the pipe 7. One of the pivots 10 passes through the wall of the pipe, and on the outside thereof carries a grooved sheave 21 to which is fastened one end of a line 22 carrying at its other end a weight 28, which latter tends to unwind the line and rotate the sheave in one direction. Then the sheave is rotated in the opposite direction, the line is wound thereon. The weighted line is so arranged that it tends to normally rotate the sheave in a direction to place the cut-off plate 9 across the pipe 7 to shut off the same from the pipe 6.

hen the cistern 5 is empty, the floats 15 are down, and through their connection with the cut-off plate 9 they have swung the latter to close the pipe 8 and to open the pipe 7, as shown in Fig. 2. WVhen the cut-01f plate is swung to this position, the line 22 was wound on the sheave 21. The weight of the floats is, of course, sufiicient to overbalance the weight 23. Rain-water may now enter the cistern through the pipe 7, and when the water level reaches the floats, they are carried upward, whereupon the line 20 is slackened. The weight 23 then unwinds the line 22 and rotates the pulley 21 in a direction to swing the cut-off plate across the pipe 7 and away from the pipe 8. Thus, the flow to the cistern is cut off and directed to the waste pipe. When the water level in the cistern drops, the floats drop 5 but are located near thertop thereof, thus leaving the cistern readily accessible for cleaning purposes, and as the float-guides are carried by the cistern top or cover 11, the latter, upon removal, takes with it the guides and the floats. In the pipe 7, close Bathe pu ey 9, are o wi es 2.4 between whic the li 20 pa ses, w ic p e ents e lnie from; slipping 0E said pulley. The gu es/t ip H arry pi oted pins 25.a 1 t- 15 to be placed beneath. th upper cross bar 16 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2-, for

20- are pivoted.- h-ave abut-merits 26 engageable in looking position.

a m; The combination Witha cistern, of spaced 1 members mounted on the under side of the by the free endsv 0f the pins to hold the same cistern top, guide strips depending from said members, a pulley mounted between the 1: members, floats located on the outside of l the guide strips, a cross bar connectlng the a cutoff device, and a lineconnected; to the floats and passing oyer the aforesaid pulley to one end' of the cut-oft device and made i fast thereto, E In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence ofitwo itnesses;

GUSTAV HERMAN MAHN. WVitnesses:

R, G- G BS N, C. E GESQN.

Coiriw of'thilfiatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D-. C.-=

floats and passing between the guide strips, 0 

